4 - Patient Assessment / Pharmacology Flashcards
When should the EMT begin performing the scene size-up?
As soon as they receive a call
(343)
When a medication is referred to as an agonist, what does this mean?
It activates cell receptors, and mimics the actions of natural chemical responses within the body.
In other words, medication binds and blocks receptors.
eg. Albuterol (beta2 agonist) (496)
The primary assessment has a single, critical, all-important goal, what is it?
Identify and begin treatment of immediate or imminent life threats
(350)
List two devices that can be used to assess a patient’s vital signs.
Blood Pressure Cuff
Stethoscope
Pulse Oximeter
Sphygmomanometer
(389)
Which routes of administration would an EMT choose if he/she wanted a rapid rate of absorption?
Sublingual
Inhalation
Intranasal
(498)
You are on the scene of a motor vehicle accident with a critically injured passenger. What is the optimal timeframe to assess and treat the patient prior to transporting him to the hospital. What is the time frame called? To which type of hospital should this patient be delivered.
Platinum 10 minutes
Trauma center
(364)
How do you assess responsiveness in an unconscious patient?
AVPU Scale
(Alert, Verbal, Pain, Unresponsive)
(352)
How is Naloxone administered? (be very specific, not the IM route)
Intranasally with a mucosal atomizer device (MAD)
(2mg: 1mg/nostril)
(515)
When assessing a patient for possible appendicitis, where should you palpate?
Right lower quadrant
(227)
Briefly explain the importance of SVR and what it stands for.
Systemic vascular resistance (SVR)
Is a key indicator of circulatory health, provides vital information for patient assessment and treatment.
You are assessing a 28-year-old who is lying supine on the floor. As you approach the patient and call out to them there is no response. What should be your next action?
Follow the AVPU scale and attempt to get a typical response by tapping them on the shoulder and using verbal. If no response go for pain response via sternum rub.
Check carotid pulse
(352)
A 17-year old fell off a skateboard and is complaining of left knee pain. Which assessment mnemonic should be used to evaluate the chief complaint?
OPQRST
(Onset, Provocation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, Time)
(368)
You are treating a 49-year-old patient who is complaining of ABD pain. Your assessment reveals normal LOC, tenderness of the LRQ, a HR of 100, BP of 148/92 and a RR of 24. During the history taking part of your assessment, you find that the patient has a history of heart complications and hypertension but denies any chest pain. This finding is an example of:
Pertinent negative
(369)
Nitroglycerin is administered through what route?
Sublingual
(512)
List two reasons why you would need to reassess your patient.
A change in status
After each intervention
(406)
A patient exhibiting signs of tachycardia, ALOC and pale, cool, clammy skin. They should be reassessed how often?
Every 5 minutes
List two contraindications for the administration of Nitroglycerin.
Taken vasodilators within the past 24 hrs
(Erectile Dysfunction Medication - Viagra/Sildenafil)
Hypotension - BP less than 100 Systolic
Head Injury
Anemia
Increased ICP
(508)
What is the most common test used to assess a patient’s mental status?
AVPU
(Initial Ass.)
Glasgow Coma Scale
(For additional info.)
(394)
What is the route of administration for epinephrine.
Intramuscular
(508)
You are treating a 67-year-old patient with a C/O of chest pain. The patient has a cardiac history and has taken 1 Nitroglycerin pill prior to EMS arrival. His RR is 16, HR is 90, BP is 97/98 and the SpO2 is 96%. He denies any SOB at this time. What is the most effective treatment for this patient?
Provide aspirin, oxygen if needed, rapid transport to the Cardiac Center and monitor all vitals along the way.
Your partner asks you to get a set of vitals, what four assessments are you to perform?
Respiratory rate
Blood pressure
Pulse rate
SpO2
The AVPU scale is used to assess what?
Responsiveness
List three components of a stethoscope.
Bell
Diaphragm
Tubing
Earpiece
A 42-year-old man is found unresponsive at the bottom of an 8-foot ladder. It appears he was painting the house. You primary assessment should focus on:
Bleeding
Spinal precautions
Airway management
List two ways to assess the neurovascular status of a patient.
Motor and sensory sensation
Which part of the patient assessment is designed to determine the priority of care and in which part of the assessment is it found?
The general impression in the primary assessment
What is one of the most important and most readily accessible ways of evaluating a patient’s circulatory status?
Skin signs
What does pulse oximetry measure?
Oxygen percentage or saturation
What is the purpose of performing a rapid scan? When should it be performed?
The purpose of the rapid scan is to make sure nothing was missed in the primary assessment.
You are on duty and your crew receives a call for a vehicle accident. At what point should you begin your scene size-up?
When the call is dispatched
A nine-year-old female fell off her bicycle and is complaining of right shoulder pain. Which assessment mnemonic should be used to evaluate the chief complaint?
OPQRST
(Onset, Provocation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, Time)
(368)
During your assessment of a patient ℅ ABD pain, he tenses his abdominal muscles as you palpate the RLQ. What organ can be found in this quadrant?
Appendix
You’ve just completed a primary assessment for an unstable patient who was involved in a vehicle accident, with a significant MOI. What part of the assessment and/or treatment should come next?
Load and go (Transport)
It is important for an EMT to know when to reassess a patient. Describe two situations where it would be necessary to perform a reassessment of a patient.
A reassessment should be done if there is a change in patient status or after every intervention.
You are treating a 63-year-old patient who is complaining of chest pain. Your assessment reveals normal LOC, HR of 90, BP of 148/92, and a RR of 24. During the history taking part of your assessment, you find that the patient has a history of COPD but denies SOB. This is an example of:
Pertinent negative (369)
When assessing the pulse, what are three findings that you should look for?
Rate, rhythm, and quality
NOTE: Bounding, Thready, Regular
What is the most common method to measure blood pressure?
Auscultation
List two routes of administration en EMT would use that have a rapid absorption rate:
Intranasally
Sublingually
Inhalation
A 44-year old female is ℅ chest pain. After contacting medical control, you are instructed to assist her in the administration of her nitroglycerin. During the reassessment, the patient now complains of a headache. Briefly explain the cause of this new symptom.
The headache is an unintended adverse effect from administering nitroglycerin
A blood pressure below what reading is contraindicated for administration of nitroglycerin
Less than 100 mg Hg
What is the action of albuterol
Broncodilatador
Relaxes and opens the air passages to the lungs to make breathing easier.
Patients who use an MDI (Metered Dose Inhaler) or SVN (Small Volume Nebulizer) will have a history of what medical condition?
Asthma
What is the major difference between a topical medication and a transcutaneous medication?
A topical medication lies on the surface of the skin while transcutaneous medications go through the skin
What are two types of adverse effects and what do they mean?
Unintended effect: causes little harm to patient
Untoward effect: Poses a danger to the patient.
Nitroglycerin comes in several different forms, list two
Sublingual Tablet
Metered Dose Spray
(Each Spray is equal to one tablet)
(511-12)
Activated charcoal comes in what medication form?
Suspension powder
What is the indication for glucose paste?
Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia)
List three medications an EMT may need to administer through the oral route.
Glucose
Aspirin
Activated charcoal
You are treating 53-year old patient who ℅ chest pain. The patient has a cardiac history and has taken 3 nitroglycerin pills prior to EMS arrival. Her RR is 16, HR is 90, BP is 118/74 and SpO2 is 95%. She denies any SOB at this time. What is the most effective treatment for this patient?
Aspirin
What action of Aspirin makes it one of the most used medication today?
Aspirin helps prevent the aggregation of platelets from clotting
